Rethinking Houston's core: a case study for organic design

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Abstract

At the time of conducting this study there exists several design methodolgies
competing for relevance in the continually growing and evolving urban cultures found in
cities around the world. Simultaneously modern cities, particularly those in the United
States of America, struggle to adapt their infrastructure and sprawling natures to
increasing densities and demand for more localized city centers. In this study, I develop
a conceptual urban intervention plan for Houston, Texas as a case study of how cities
like Houston might revitalize their downtown cores in the future by removing and
redeveloping the elevated highways that surround the core. Additionally, I present a
case study for the importance of carefully contextual architecture in the form of a
high-desnsity mixed-use complex as a driver for the success of such an urban
intervention. These interrelated design projects facilitate the testing of design principles
in parametricism against more traditional design methods. The results show that there
is in fact large demand for residential and retail developments in Houston’s core as well
as the potential for increased value along the the area now occupied by highway in the
event of more pedestrian and development friendly infrastructure. The results also
show one potential example of architectural design that attempts to step down the
scale of the urban core and transition more effectively between the core and the
surrounding neighborhoods, thus facilitating said potentials.